Jenise, I've now for a couple weeks also been doing the same: I've only gone to formal tastings (except for Valentines day and a farewell party), but I haven't opened up wine at home. Normally I used to go through a moderate (IMO - I don't know if it's considered moderate on that side of the pond) amount of 2-3 bottles a week, but now about one or a bit less. I see no difference in the way I feel, but I have noticed that my eating habits have changed. I don't any more make "elegant", wine-compatible meals. I eat Indian, Thai, Chinese, Arabic, Turkish meals. I love spicy food and whereas I used to eat it only a couple times a week, now I'm eating it 6-7 days a week!

-O-

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

I guess it's just how I'm wired: I'm programmed for "rescue" not "bystander."

Tim, oh no offense taken--you're a man and all men are programmed that way. You want to 'fix'. And most of the time, that's good. It was just mildly disconcerting to come back to my computer after 24 hours and find my little post about meal planning torn down like a leaky faucet!

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

That's it in a nutshell--it's just easier to go lite without wine. And re spicy food, you probably nailed the reason we've been on a taco binge this week. Another night, I made homemade fish sticks and cucumber pickles--finger food in front of the TV, since now I don't have to worry about how to manage a wine glass. Now if only hot dogs and potato chips were dietetic....

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

I guess it's just how I'm wired: I'm programmed for "rescue" not "bystander."

Tim, oh no offense taken--you're a man and all men are programmed that way. You want to 'fix'. And most of the time, that's good. It was just mildly disconcerting to come back to my computer after 24 hours and find my little post about meal planning torn down like a leaky faucet!

My wife tells me the same thing, Jenise. Mostly in the form of "Just sit there and listen, don't try to fix it for me!" Reluctantly, I comply....well, most of the time.

My only suggestion relative to menu planning is don't fall into the cycle of taking the path of least resistance....it has been my experience that we find more fat inducing foods as a result and it might defeat the original purpose. Make sense?

"If you were to try not to eat dinner for a week would the outcome be either a sign of a weak willpower or a sign of a strong addiction to food?

***

My point: alcohol addiction is a far nastier thing than having two glasses of wine with dinner every day of your adult life. i don't think that your experiment shows you are not addicted to wine; it shows that you have will power."

I disagree, Thomas. I probably didn't explain myself very well -- I was trying to say that I actually enjoy not drinking wine during the "dry periods". Just as I enjoy fasting for a day or two from time to time.

It's not a matter of will power at all.

In fact, if I had to exercise will power not to drink wine, I would extend the "dry" period until I no longer had to do so.

In any event, my purpose in posting was merely to try to empathize with Jenise's and Bob's decision to cut back. I've found positives as well as negatives in abstinence -- of both wine and food.

My only suggestion relative to menu planning is don't fall into the cycle of taking the path of least resistance....it has been my experience that we find more fat inducing foods as a result and it might defeat the original purpose. Make sense?

No danger, Tim. It's actually the carbs I'm most interested in cutting back on, and the lack of same might be as responsible for the malaise as the lack of wine. Pasta is my chocolate.

And Stuart: lol!

Bob Ross: I recognized your empathy and I thank you for it. You touched on something crucial: discipline. It wasn't our motive, but it does feel good to feel good to re-establish the idea that you have it, it doesn't have you.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Bob Ross wrote:"If you were to try not to eat dinner for a week would the outcome be either a sign of a weak willpower or a sign of a strong addiction to food?

***

My point: alcohol addiction is a far nastier thing than having two glasses of wine with dinner every day of your adult life. i don't think that your experiment shows you are not addicted to wine; it shows that you have will power."

I disagree, Thomas. I probably didn't explain myself very well -- I was trying to say that I actually enjoy not drinking wine during the "dry periods". Just as I enjoy fasting for a day or two from time to time.

It's not a matter of will power at all.

In fact, if I had to exercise will power not to drink wine, I would extend the "dry" period until I no longer had to do so.

In any event, my purpose in posting was merely to try to empathize with Jenise's and Bob's decision to cut back. I've found positives as well as negatives in abstinence -- of both wine and food.

Regards, Bob

Yes Bob. There are those who fast as a way of cleansing. Used to do that myself every Sunday.

I reacted to something you said about being compulsive, which to me is a whole separate subject. Sorry if I misunderstood what you meant.

Last edited by Thomas on Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

My only suggestion relative to menu planning is don't fall into the cycle of taking the path of least resistance....it has been my experience that we find more fat inducing foods as a result and it might defeat the original purpose. Make sense?

No danger, Tim. It's actually the carbs I'm most interested in cutting back on, and the lack of same might be as responsible for the malaise as the lack of wine. Pasta is my chocolate.

Bread is my down fall....I could make an entire meal out of a freshly baked loaf of bread.